About Me

I'm a computer engineer with a broad range of interests and some unusual hobbies.

In 2010 I discovered that there are circus studios in the Boston area, and instantly fell in love with the art of Aerial Hoop (also known as Lyra or Circeau.) I've dabbled in tumbling, flying trapeze, static trapeze, partner acrobatics, and aerial silks, but hoop is by far my favorite.

I also juggle clubs, balls, and diabolo when I have the chance. In non-Covid times you could occasionally find me at the MIT Juggle meet-ups, passing clubs with my husband. (You can find him over at ZevMakesThings.)

How I create

I'm a planner, not a “seat-of-the-pantser” (see link). Some of my friends are pantsers: they get the itch to make something, and they throw things together and see what comes out. I'm driven by the end result. When I have a goal in mind, it's easy for me to invent new ways to use the tools at hand to make them do whatever I need.

I like to create things, but making isn't a big part of my identity. I'm more of a storyteller (or, in the engineering form, a documenter.) I think in narrative patterns and maintain notes to remind myself of why I made certain choices. My projects are no less messy for having been planned. They tend to evolve, like anything else, and I think that some of the process is interesting enough to share.

I am lucky enough to have a wide range of tools at my disposal. I grew up with access to Legos, CAD tools, and rapid prototyping systems like CNC mills and early FDM 3D printers. I've learned to use several other physical and virtual tools since then, but I think this early foray into solid modelling helped me develop a strong knack for visualizing environments in 3D.

I can use this 3D spatial sense to accomplish some of my physical talents (like drawing, or digging through my husband's pillow in my sleep) by checking in with where I think I am and where I'm going. The rest of my real-life skills have required patient work. Learning to juggle helped unlock some of my coordination. I'm at a point where I'm comfortable and sometimes even graceful in the air. I could someday get a dead hang pull-up. I may never learn how to keep a straight face.